


Sunflower Seeds

by NanakiBH



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Animal Traits, Banter, Blow Jobs, Body Horror, Breeding, Choking, Confrontations, Desperation, Drama, Egg Laying, Eggpreg, Exhibitionism, Feral Behavior, Foreplay, Holding Hands, Impregnation, Jealousy, Kissing, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mildly Dubious Consent, Multiple Orgasms, Nipple Play, Overstimulation, Oviposition, Possessive Behavior, Power Dynamics, Scent Kink, Self-Lubrication, Sexual Tension, Teacher-Student Relationship, Twisted and Fluffy Feelings, Violent Sex, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 16:35:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18760252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NanakiBH/pseuds/NanakiBH
Summary: This is a job for you, Luxu. You're the only one who can do it.





	Sunflower Seeds

**Author's Note:**

> Please read the tags! There are many of them!
> 
> I know that sounds like a lot. You might not be familiar with the wonders of egg. You're just going to have to trust me. I'm a seasoned eggspert.
> 
> There's a little bit of canon divergence here. This takes place at a point when Luxu would have already been gone, I believe, but. I do what I want.
> 
> I love the Demyx theory, but I didn't go hard on it here, so you can enjoy this with just your knowledge of khux and Back Cover. (I might have snuck in a few hints to the video game theory, however.)

Luxu waited at the doorway. He wondered if the others even noticed him there.

It was his scheduled time, but the five Foretellers were still there, gathered around the Master. He was right on time, so it was irritating to see that they hadn't left. Hearing them laughing and making shallow jokes just stoked his irritation, and hearing the Master laughing at their low-effort humor made it that much worse.

His eyes narrowed as he watched Ava take something from the Master's desk. She held up the round, glass flask, giving it a light shake. The little creature inside of it appeared to be the center of their conversation. It stirred and let out a distressed mewling noise, disrupted from its slumber.

“Master, can I keep it?” she asked.

His chuckle sounded wary as he plucked the flask out of her grasp and returned it to the safety of his desk.

“Not yet, I'm afraid,” he said. “As you can see, it's still quite small. It's basically still an infant at this size. I'm going to make more of these lil' guys and once they're ready to leave the nest, I'll give them to you to distribute as you see fit. How 'bout that?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “I can't wait!”

The Master seemed to be the only one who noticed he was there. He sent him a discreet glance to acknowledge his presence. In that split second, Luxu felt the Master's gaze sear through him, making something burn in the pit of his stomach.

 

Something was different.

 

Luxu was used to that private stare. It silently communicated things that would have been too crude to say aloud. It wasn't like the Master had any compunction about saying those things, of course – when they were alone, he had a vulgar mouth. He had a talent for making filth sound sweet. But. Something was different. A feral voracity accompanied the sexual heat in his stare, more intense than anything Luxu had ever seen.

Once Luxu noticed it, it was impossible to ignore it.

The heat was contagious. It clung to him with an almost physical presence. Luxu tugged on the front of his coat, feeling hot under the collar, but he found no relief. It quickly and steadily got worse. He didn't feel sick, and the clock tower hadn't seemed any warmer than usual, so he couldn't think of any explanation for it. It was like, with that one glance, the Master had cast some sort of spell on him.

He wasn't the only one, it seemed.

Ira and Aced looked restless, shifting their weight and fidgeting like they were anxious to leave. Their eyes, however, were trained on the Master, occasionally taking combative glances at each other. Gula had separated himself from them entirely, sitting at the table with his head bowed, his knees bouncing. Invi and Ava seemed to be mysteriously unaffected by whatever it was that had seized the rest of them.

Luxu wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel, but he felt like he was supposed to be taking a side. The way Ava always stole the Master's attention made her his rival whether she realized it or not, but it wasn't just her anymore; the whole room suddenly felt like his competition. Ira and Aced looked ready to tear each other apart to determine which one of them would have the Master. There was no mistaking it. The Master was the thing at stake.

And yet, none of them had looked his way.

Did they not sense the hostility brewing behind them?

They could fight each other for all he cared. It wouldn't have made a difference to him. The Master was already his.

But... In that unstable atmosphere, a small fear worked its way in at the back of his brain, making him worry about what would happen if one of them happened to get their hands on the Master. Even though he seemed to be maintaining his composure, Luxu could tell that he wasn't himself, either. There was something vulnerable about the air around him, like a thin layer of glass that would have been easily broken by the slightest force.

The Master had to be strong enough to protect himself. If one of them made an unwanted advance on him, he would have rejected them.

 

Right?

 

Luxu didn't want to risk it.

Eyes on the Master, he took a step forward, letting him know that he intended to come between them. Luxu didn't know what was going on, but if the hostile atmosphere continued to grow, he decided that he would draw his keyblade to protect what was his.

“Alrighty,” the Master said, clapping his hands together in a way mimicking the closing of a book, putting an end to their gathering. “That's it for today. Please devote the weekend to your studies. I'm going to be busy producing more Dream Eaters, so I request that you keep yourselves busy as well.”

Ava pouted. “Aw... Can't we come to visit? I want to see how they're made.”

The Master waggled a finger at her request. “No can do. That's classified information.”

While Ava and Invi gathered their things and began heading toward the door, Aced and Ira stayed where they were, staring at each other, each one daring the other to make the first move. Gula, having been completely removed until then, got up and grabbed Aced by the sleeve. Aced jerked involuntarily with pent up aggression, almost knocking him over. Seeing Gula stumble seemed to bring Ira back to his senses. He immediately looked ashamed of himself for having let something get the better of him.

Luxu politely nodded to Ava and Invi as they passed him. All seemed to be amended until the other three Foretellers neared the door. As soon as Aced noticed him, he looked back at the Master who was watching them. In a split second, by sheer coincidence, it seemed that Aced came to the correct conclusion about the nature of their relationship.

Luxu had a feeling he was going to be a problem... He was so thickheaded, powered by nothing but instinct.

He had ample time to draw his keyblade, but he stayed his hand, mindful of his reputation. The others already thought of him as something of an outcast. He didn't want to alienate himself further by making himself seem antagonistic. He had to be the one to act second. So he let himself get grabbed. He let Aced lift him off the floor by the front of his coat. Luxu stared him in the eye, piercing through the haze of hormonal rage in his eyes, giving him the chance to drop him before he chose to get serious.

Stupidly, Aced didn't take the offered chance to forfeit.

“What are you doing?” Luxu asked. He was being generous. “Let go of me.”

“You...” He growled, baring his tightly clenched teeth.

Luxu was curious what he would've said. He seemed to hesitate as if second-guessing himself. Indeed, his accusation would have made him sound insane. The others wouldn't have believed that their beloved Master would inappropriately put his hands on one of his precious students.

 

Could he smell the Master on him? It was no wonder he seemed so certain of his assumption; Luxu remembered that he hadn't washed his coat in a while.

 

He couldn't help but grin.

 

When Aced pushed him up against the wall, Luxu decided that was his third strike. He'd been more than kind. He hoped that the Master wouldn't think he was misbehaved for retaliating.

In physical terms, he wasn't as strong as Aced, and he couldn't summon his keyblade when his arms were pinned, so there was only one option left to him.

 

He sunk his teeth into Aced's arm.

 

Aced didn't just drop him – he immediately tore him off and tossed him. Luxu went flying and nimbly caught himself and returned to his feet before he could hit the table in the middle of the room. He thought he handled that in a levelheaded manner, but his heart was still pounding like he was in danger. He didn't think he made Aced bleed, but his mouth was dry with the unpleasant taste of his robe sleeve. As he tried to calm himself, he wiped the back of his hand over his mouth.

It was getting worse. As he got closer to the Master, that unusual sensation seemed to intensify, and, worst of all, he seemed to be getting used to it.

He thought that his answer to the situation was perfectly reasonable, but the others were staring at him with their mouths open, aghast. Ava rushed to Aced's side and took him by the arm to check it for injury. The other guys had no right to look shocked when they were feeling it, too. He wasn't crazy.

“Luxu.” Ava looked at him, her mouth drawn in a tight line.

She didn't have to say anything else.

She was blaming him.

 

The Master took that as his moment to come forward. As he moved past Luxu, he rested a hand on his shoulder. That one simple touch seemed to steal the strength right out of him. Luxu's legs became weak, but he held it together, shaking only on the inside.

 

“Oh dear. What's gotten into everyone?” the Master said, hands on his hips.

He approached Ava and Aced and the two separated before he reached them. A distance formed between each person like a buffer. The heady aura around the Master persisted, yet he outwardly remained more calm than any of them, directing at them a cheerful smile.

“Aren't you glad it's the weekend now?” he said. “Sheesh, forget your studies – you all look like you could use a nap.”

The Master's solution was a tad condescending, but it worked. They looked ashamed of themselves for their unusual behavior.

“I agree,” Ira said, a touch of uncertainty in his voice. “I think we've probably been pushing ourselves. I, for one, welcome a break.”

After some quiet words of agreement from the others, the Foretellers finally took their leave, ducking out before they could make even bigger fools of themselves. Luxu was glad to see them go. He didn't want to know what would have happened if they'd stuck around long enough for another confrontation to take place.

Only Gula remained, hanging back for a moment. He took a brief, nervous glance at the Master, then turned his focus to Luxu, motioning for him to meet him by the door. Luxu obliged. He went to him and stood close for Gula to speak to him privately.

“H-Hey... Sorry about that,” Gula muttered. One hand was gripping his opposite arm and the exposed part of his face was a flustered red. “I don't really know what's going on, but... I kinda get it at the same time. Like, in an intuitive way? I can't explain...”

Luxu shook his head. “I know. It's not your fault. Aced was the one who crossed the line.”

“Yeah, but I should've stopped him. Instead, I just-... I don't know. I feel weak today. It's weird.”

“Keep looking after him. I get the feeling he could use your help.”

“Will do,” he said, offering him a fragile smile. “Thanks for understanding, Luxu.”

He wondered if Gula understood what sort of 'help' he was referring to. By the sound of it... Maybe he did. In any case, he was about to have one sexually frustrated bear on his hands. Luxu didn't understand the situation one hundred percent either, but he could tell that Aced and Ira hadn't simply woken up on the wrong side of the bed. It was something more than that.

Once Gula left and Luxu was sure the gang was gone, he closed the door. For good measure, he locked it.

 

“Master.”

“Mm-hmm?”

 

Luxu pulled back his hood and stared at him. He wasn't sure about going near him, but his feet were taking him toward him anyway.

“Would you care to explain?” he asked.

“Oh, it's nothing major, really,” the Master said, leaning with a hand on his desk. “It's springtime, that's all.”

Before he noticed, Luxu was already standing in front of him. Some kind of force of nature seemed to be reeling him in, pulling him closer to the Master. As he got near, he noticed a smell – an arousing scent that immediately went to his head and reignited the heat in his body. He shook his head to clear it and made himself feel more dizzy instead.

“Whoa, steady,” the Master said, grabbing him by the shoulders.

One of Luxu's hands instinctively moved to clasp one of the hands on his shoulder. He knew how unusually bold that was of him, but he couldn't help himself, nor could he pull his hand away. Feeling the warmth of the Master's hand through their gloves, he only wanted to touch more of him... His mind was steadily becoming possessed by such thoughts.

“I think... there's something wrong with me...”

“You're very susceptible to it, aren't you? The others were too, but at least you aren't trying to jump me. That was kind of scary.” He laughed. “Dunno what I would've done, to be honest. Let them have their way with me? Maybe. Two big guys like that...?” He paused, considering. Shrugged. “Maybe that wouldn't have been so bad.”

“As if I'd let them touch you...!”

 

Luxu slapped his hands over his mouth.

But he said what he said. There was no taking it back.

 

“'As if', huh?” The Master grinned, sounding amused by his confession. “I suppose I should be glad it didn't escalate to a full-blown fight, but it was pretty cute to see how prepared you were to defend my honor. I've never seen you so fired up.”

Luxu realized that he was being teased. The Master's hypothetical situation would have never happened – he just wanted to hear how he would have reacted. And he told him. Loudly.

“S-... Sorry...”

“For what? I said it was cute.” The Master perched himself on the edge of his desk and reached out to pinch Luxu's cheek.

With a small frown, Luxu rubbed at the aching spot. “Master, can you please explain what's going on? I still don't understand.”

The Master looked away and played with his hands. It was hard to say whether his bashful gesture was genuine. “Well, you see... It's kind of embarrassing for me.” His tone didn't help to make matters clearer, either. “Uhh... Well, I guess there's no better way of saying it...”

“Master...” He was losing his patience.

“I'm in heat.”

 

Nope.

Still didn't make sense.

 

“Was that a joke?”

 

Oh.

He actually looked serious.

 

“Like an animal?” Luxu asked.

“How rude...”

“S-Sorry! I didn't mean it like that. Just-... I've never heard of a _person_ being in heat before. Only in a metaphoric way, maybe, but not literally. But, based on the way I feel and how the others were acting, I'm going to assume you mean this literally.” He stared at the floor, sweating, momentarily at a loss for words. “Um... Don't take this the wrong way, Master, but... What exactly... _are_ you?”

Unfortunately, he seemed none too pleased with his choice of words. He pulled back his own hood so Luxu could fully appreciate the offended scowl on his face. “What do you mean 'don't take it the wrong way'? There's only one way for me to take that!”

“Are you human or not?”

“That's a complicated question,” the Master said, at once returning to his coy tone of voice.

“Is it...?”

“Let's just say I'm not like other people. How 'bout that?”

Luxu sighed and reluctantly resigned himself to the fact that he would never receive a straight answer. “Alright.”

The Master swung his feet back and forth over the side of his desk and smiled. “Good. So anyway, now that that's out of the way, I'll explain the deal here. Thing is, I need to ask a favor of you. Like, a big favor. I mean, it's not difficult or anything – I think you'll enjoy it – but I know it's a lot to ask, so...”

That sounded worrisome. Luxu had a bad feeling... But he was ready to accept it, whatever it was.

“Go on.”

“Yeah, okay, so like... I need you to help me make more of these,” he said, turning around to grab something from behind him on the desk. He held up the flask Ava had been playing with earlier. Inside of it, the little cat-like creature was peacefully sleeping. If he recalled correctly, the Master had referred to it as a Dream Eater. “These cute lil' fellas are going to assist the keyblade wielders. Inevitably, some of them are going to become affected by the darkness in their wielders' hearts and turn into Nightmares... But the Dream Eaters feed on Nightmares, so it's sort of like a self-sustaining system. They don't require supervision.”

Slowly, Luxu nodded, trying to parse what exactly it was the Master needed him for. Slowly, the gears in his mind clicked into place. That bad feeling of his got a little worse.

“Master...” He anxiously fidgeted, feeling himself inexplicably getting hard in spite of the absurdity of his assumption. Still, he wanted to be certain before he said anything that made him sound stupid. “These creatures... H-How do you make them?”

“How?” His eyes narrowed slyly and a devilish smile twisted the corners of his mouth as he leaned closer. “Oh, I think you know how.”

The implication seemed to be that the Master made them himself. Physically. Somehow.

Luxu backed up a step. It would have been easy to agree to whatever the Master wanted when he was in a state that made him feel particularly agreeable, but he wanted to slow down and exercise caution while he still had a handle on his common sense.

He cleared his throat and tried not to notice how enticing the Master's lips looked.

“What about this one?” he asked, pointing at the Dream Eater in the flask. “Where'd it come from?”

“Do you need me to explain it to you? I guess it's time to have 'the talk' with you.” With a dramatic sigh, the Master crossed one leg over the other and folded his hands over his knees. “Sometimes, when a keyblade master is really bored, he extracts one of his own eggs and watches it grow in a petri dish. The end.”

That didn't add up. “How could the egg grow? Didn't you need-...”

 

He suddenly realized that he shouldn't have asked.

 

The Master answered him anyway.

 

“Luxu, you silly goat, I can do the whole shebang myself. It just isn't efficient. And it doesn't help me with this whole heat thing...” He unzipped his coat to fan himself, revealing his collarbones, peppered with sweat. “I may not look it, but I'm dying over here. I've been trying to keep it together, but ugh... I might as well be an animal. I feel like one.”

The scent was so strong, it made Luxu's knees feel weak. His sense of reason was fleeting fast. Unable to stop himself, he staggered forward a step, bringing him to the edge of the desk. His timid, bashful heart still tried to hesitate, but his body had acquired a mind of its own. One of his hands moved on its own to rest on top of the Masters'. Since he'd already made it that far without being pushed away, he took the extra step and pushed the Master's knees apart, fitting himself between them, getting close.

He felt like he needed to say something, but the inside of his head was filled with nothing but static. His lips parted, but nothing came out. By the time he noticed the gleam in the Master's eyes, he'd already been caught off guard, his lips seized. Cradling the back of Luxu's head with one hand, holding his jaw with the other, the Master pressed their lips together and slipped his tongue into Luxu's mouth. The last thread holding Luxu's self-control was snapped, overwhelmed by the intoxicating taste of the Master's lips.

Grasping the Master's arms, holding on to him firmly, he pressed himself up against him as he eagerly sought more of that taste. With his thoughts lost in a hot and hazy swirl, all he could do was moan, helpless to his body's desire. At the back of his mind, he knew how pathetic he had to look. It was only the Master there to see him, but he still felt ashamed of his eagerness.

When the Master pulled away, Luxu unconsciously chased after his mouth. The Master stayed him, placing a finger against his lips.

“Patience. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.”

Gently, he took Luxu by the shoulders and moved him back so he could stand from his desk. When he looked down at him, Luxu noticed that his face looked a bit flushed. His eyes were half-lidded, his lips glistening from kissing. It made him want to kiss him again.

“After we do this, I'm going to need to rest for a while. Can't do that here.”

Luxu nodded dumbly. Whatever would get him between his legs fastest.

“Come. Let's go to my room.”

Luxu nodded again.

 

Wait.

 

_His room?_

 

Luxu had never been in the Master's room before.

He was dying to know what it was like.

 

“Th-This is really okay?” he asked, following closely behind the Master as he went to the door.

“Uh, I'm the one with the favor. Whether it's okay is up to you, I think.”

Of course it was okay with him. He still couldn't believe that the Master wanted him to help with a matter so sensitive. Perhaps he'd start to regret it once the heat haze wore off, but, for the time being, those thoughts weren't affecting his choice. Realistically, he knew what he and the Master were about to do. In a manner of speaking, he was about to become the father to a bunch of odd critters who would leave and go on to become the helpers of the keyblade wielders. It was kind of very strange, but its absurdity was just a part of what made the situation easier to swallow.

They were just creatures. The one in the flask didn't look human. He would have naturally had more hesitation if it looked like a child.

“Luxu... What are you thinking about?” the Master asked, his expression serious.

“N-Nothing,” Luxu stammered after snapping to attention. “Let's go.”

 

As they rode the elevator, Luxu stayed close to his side. He worried that he seemed clingy. If he'd just been a little bigger, a little older, more assertive... He would have put an arm around his waist. He would have already been touching him, kissing his neck, making him fall apart before they even reached his room. But even though he felt compelled to do all of those things, he couldn't. Not even instinct could cross that boundary. He wasn't strong enough yet.

It was so easy to imagine... He was sure that he would get there someday. He wanted to be the man for whom the Master would happily submit.

Nervously, he inched into the small space between them and touched the back of the Master's hand with his little finger. Without turning his head, the Master looked down at him from the corners of his eyes, smiling an amused smile. He turned his hand over, inviting Luxu to hold his hand.

It wasn't the sexually assertive sort of gesture Luxu wanted to make, but. It was good. Maybe it was better than that, or good in an equal yet different sort of way.

He wasn't able to meet the Master's eyes, too embarrassed, so he squeezed his hand.

 

Their hands were still connected when the lift arrived at the Master's floor. Luxu reluctantly let go so the Master could open his door.

He stepped aside and gestured for Luxu to enter first.

Upon stepping inside, Luxu felt disappointed that he hadn't formulated an expectation first. He'd never been presumptuous enough to think that he would see the inside of the Master's room. Perhaps it was more ordinary than he would have thought.

There were windows across the back of the room, from one side to the other. The afternoon light made a path across the floor which Luxu followed into the room. There were books cluttering the floor, stacked on top of each other along the walls of the doorway. He realized that it wasn't for a lack of bookshelves. Inside, there were many. His room was practically a library. It seemed he'd run out of shelf space and had no choice but to stack the ones that wouldn't fit. Somehow, despite its chaos, Luxu had the feeling that the Master probably knew where everything was.

Maybe it wasn't as ordinary as it seemed at first glance. Once he reached the back and turned around, he noticed that there was another level. A wrought iron staircase went above the bookshelves to that level where he spotted the Master's bed. And more books. And a computer.

“If you have a computer, do you really need all these books?” Luxu wondered aloud.

“...Luxu, have you ever used a computer?”

 

Luxu blinked.

He thought about it.

 

Odd.

 

He didn't know why he had to think about it.

 

“Have I...?”

“Nope. You haven't. But don't concern yourself with that. If you fixate on the contradictions in your memory, you'll run into a logical error. It's not the worst thing that could happen, but now's not the time for accidents.” He shook his head and waved a hand, dismissing the matter as if it were something trivial. “Anyway, I have a database where I compile the data I've extracted from these books. The process by which I convert them to raw data makes consuming their information a lot easier than painstakingly reading them page by page.”

That was interesting and all, but Luxu was still stuck on the other parts.

Contradictions? Logical error?

He wanted to know what he was talking about, but, for some reason, he was scared. Like the Master said, he felt like if he kept thinking about it, something bad would happen to him, like his mind hadn't been built to accommodate certain thoughts. He couldn't force it.

Thankfully, the Master made it difficult for him to stay distracted. His scent lured him closer.

An awfully needy sound escaped from his lips as he took a step toward him. His eyes were glued to the exposed part of his chest, feeling the need to taste his skin. He swallowed, trying to calm his desire, but the Master just laughed at his attempt at self-restraint and grabbed his wrist, pulling him toward him, allowing him to do what he wanted. Luxu clumsily fell into him, faceplanting right between the Master's pecs. He made an embarrassed noise that quickly morphed into a low moan as he took in a deep breath, filling his senses with the scent of his sweat and whatever that erotic, underlying scent was.

His hands rose to desperately grasp his chest. As he massaged the soft muscle, he heard the Master finally release a moan of his own. Luxu glanced up and saw him with his eyes closed, his brows pinched together in a cutely erotic expression. It was the closest to defenseless Luxu had ever seen him.

Hoping to hear him moan again, Luxu lightly tugged on the Master's zipper to expose more of his skin and touched his lips to his chest. His cock throbbed as he sneakily caught a drop of his sweat with his tongue. Groaning hungrily, he clutched his fingers in the front of the Master's coat and pressed himself up against him, rubbing his trapped cock against the Master's thigh.

Letting out a hot sigh, the Master placed a hand on the back of his head, encouraging him to do what he pleased. Luxu gladly took the opportunity, eagerly kissing and licking whatever skin he could reach at his height. Quickly becoming greedy, he pulled the zipper down the rest of the way. He pushed his hands inside the Master's coat and rubbed his thumbs over his nipples. He was tempted use his mouth there as well, but he wasn't quite sure about going that far until the Master pointedly moved him in that direction, lifting his chest to nudge one of his nipples toward his lips. More sweet noises fell from the Master's mouth as he licked and sucked on it.

At that point, he was dying for more. He was so hard, it was painful.

“Nmgh... Luxu...”

By the sound of it, the Master was also beginning to succumb. He'd done an extremely good job of holding on to his composure until then, but he couldn't hold on forever.

Luxu looked up at him and caught his eyes as he swirled his tongue around his nipple.

The Master chuckled breathlessly and stroked his hair, smiling. “Mm... Good boy.”

Luxu nearly lost it right there.

He grabbed the Master's wrists.

“Bed.”

The Master seemed somewhat taken aback by his adamance, his eyes going wide. For a second, it was like he could see something that Luxu couldn't see. Luxu hoped that he caught a glimpse of the assertive man he wished to become in the future.

“After you, my dear apprentice.”

Holding firm to one of his wrists, he took the lead, climbing the stairs to the upper level with a pounding heart.

As soon as his feet touched the top step, he began taking off his clothes. He might have been getting a bit ahead of himself, but it seemed like the next step. He couldn't imagine staying in his clothes for much longer. He had only one thing on his mind and that involved pushing the Master down onto the bed and fucking him like his life depended on it.

As strange as it was, he wanted to 'help'.

Similarly, the Master began to undress. He shrugged his coat off his shoulders and Luxu felt his face get hot at the sight of him. His nipples were hard and rosy from all the attention they'd been given. With a crease between his brows and a small frown, the Master rubbed at them, trying to relieve the ache.

Luxu waited for the Master to remove his pants first, feeling like there was some unspoken sort of etiquette that dictated that the person who owned the room should be the one who got naked first. Once the Master was naked, though, Luxu kind of forgot what he was doing. He couldn't stop staring at him.

He didn't know what other people's standards were like, but, to him, the Master was perfect.

 

He wanted to mate with him.

 

That was what they were going to do, wasn't it?

Mating. Like animals.

 

He hastily discarded the rest of his own clothes and joined him on the bed. He was sure that there was a mattress under there somewhere, but his bed looked like it was just a messy pile of blankets. With a blush, it occurred to him that the Master might have been doing something akin to nesting; gathering lots of soft blankets and pillows to make a comfortable spot for himself and his new Dream Eaters.

It was weird, but...

Cute.

It shouldn't have come as a surprise. He knew from his own experience that the Master was a nurturing person. He could seem a little scatterbrained, disorganized, and lazy, but he had it all together under the surface.

He watched as the Master laid down and moved back to rest his head against the pillows. There were pillows everywhere. Luxu moved a few out of the way as he crawled after him. His head swam as he got closer and caught the scent of his arousal. His cock was hard and already damp around the head, glistening temptingly. Luxu unconsciously licked his lips. He couldn't help but find it appetizing.

 

There was nothing to lose...

 

“Luxu?”

Luxu ignored the impatient sound in his voice and dove between his legs. He grasped the base of the Master's cock in one hand and wrapped his lips around the head. Breathing through his nose, he took it down as far as he could take it, moaning all the way down, mouth watering. Under normal circumstances, it probably wouldn't have tasted so good, but, brain addled by the aphrodisiac scent in the air, it seemed like the most incredible thing he'd ever tasted.

He moved his head slowly, leisurely caressing the length of the Master's cock with his tongue. He could feel the tip of his cock gushing precum over the back of his tongue and he greedily lapped up as much of it as he could. Whatever dribbled down the Master's cock he used to stroke what his mouth couldn't reach.

“Luxu...”

There was a new sound in his voice – something needy.

A hand found its way into his hair, loosely curling in the strands, silently begging him for more. The Master was too proud to beg outright. If he wanted something, he had other ways of asking for it.

He didn't have to beg. Luxu was more than happy to give him what he wanted. He loved hearing all the little pleased noises the Master made as he lavished his cock. He was very vocal with his pleasure. It seemed like he was trying to hold back, though. His hand anxiously clenched and unclenched in Luxu's hair, seeming unsure of whether he really wanted more or not. It must have felt good, but the heat had to be driving him out of control.

Luxu lifted his head and looked up at him, breathing heavily, saliva messily dripping down his chin. When his eyes focused, he saw the Master looking somewhat tense, one arm thrown over his face.

“Y-You know, you don't have to do all this... Foreplay and the like is unnecessary.”

“Master... Are you embarrassed?”

“Wh-wh-what makes you think that?!”

Luxu stared. He didn't have to say anything. It was evident.

“Do you not like it?” Luxu asked, pleased by the way his innocent question made the Master grumble and blush. He was surprisingly easy to tease when he was compromised. It gave Luxu a rush. He felt powerful.

“It's... alright,” he mumbled, lowering his arm. His cock betrayed him with an impatient twitch. “Being this aroused will probably encourage my body to release more eggs for fertilization. The more the merrier, right?”

That shouldn't have sounded hot. Somehow, hearing the situation described in such clinical terms just made it sound that much more _real._ Luxu was more aware than ever about what it was he was going to do.

He swallowed as he positioned himself properly between the Master's parted knees, heart hammering in his chest, sweat rolling down his temple.

“Is there anything special I need to do?” he asked.

“Just come inside me. As deep as you can, please.”

Luxu nodded stiffly, nervous and excited.

“Don't worry about preparing me, by the way,” the Master said, taking one of Luxu's hands, guiding it toward his entrance. A thick, slippery fluid was leaking from inside of him. “My body has already taken care of the hard part. I'm like a damn slip 'n' slide. Your part's easy. All you have to do is pop one off inside of me to get an A+.”

Luxu was embarrassed at how easy it was going to be, in fact. Just looking at the sight beneath him, he knew that he wasn't going to be able to last for long. Seeing the Master flushed and breathing heavily, his legs spread in wanton invitation...

Without a second thought, he steadied the tip at his entrance and eased forward. He was met with no resistance, sliding in quickly and easily, sinking into the most exquisite wet heat. Above the sound of his pulse pounding in his ears, he heard the Master let out a moan and felt him tighten up inside, squeezing his cock. Before he could even begin to move, the Master grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down on top of him, bringing them together, nearly chest to chest.

The Master had his eyes closed, so Luxu couldn't tell what he was thinking. For a change, there probably wasn't much going on inside his head. They had that in common. When he looked at his face, all Luxu could think about was kissing him... So he did. He put his arms around him and leaned up, locking lips with him. The Master made a pleasantly surprised sound and opened his mouth and their tongues met in a passionate caress.

Without his notice, Luxu's hips had already begun to move on their own, frantically rutting against him with shallow thrusts, his length buried deep. He panted against the Master's lips, feeling the heat of their breath going to his head. He felt like he was completely losing control, but... That was okay. Because the Master also looked like he wasn't able to control himself. Luxu got the sense that as long as they kept holding on to each other, it would be alright. That was how it was supposed to be.

For the first time, he felt like he and the Master were really on the same level. The Master had been reduced to a desperate, moaning mess, overwhelmed by an instinct that was too strong for even him to fight against. If he hadn't been there to help him, Luxu wondered what would have become of him. Would he have holed up in his room alone, curled up in bed, feverishly waiting for it to pass?

He wanted to satisfy him...

“M-... Master...”

The Master wrapped his arms around him and hooked his legs over Luxu's hips, linking his ankles together to keep the two of them locked in their embrace. His heels pressed down on Luxu's lower back and he rocked his hips, urging him to fuck him harder.

“Luxu... I...”

“Yes?” Luxu panted, waiting, trying to focus for long enough to pay attention.

He tipped his head back, lips stretched into an unsteady grin, and let out a delirious-sounding laugh. “This is... This is incredible, Luxu. I really can't think about anything but sex right now! Feels like I'm melting... I feel so hot, I can't tell where my body ends and yours begins. It's like we're the same person.”

“I... I know what you mean,” Luxu said, nuzzling his cheek against the Master's sweaty shoulder. With each thrust of his hips, he could hear the lewd, wet noises produced between their bodies, felt the Master's fluids rolling down his thighs.

The Master's fingers clawed at his back, leaving tender red marks in their wake.

“Nngh... Impregnate me, Luxu! Fertilize my eggs!”

Luxu couldn't help but snicker.

“What's so funny?” the Master asked, sounding a bit put off. “You're gonna ruin the mood.”

Luxu shook his head, his chest warming with affection. “It's nothing. That wouldn't have been my idea of dirty talk, but it was just like you.”

The Master grumbled. “I-I'm kinda flattered... You know me well, don't you?”

 

Did he?

He was happy that the Master thought so.

 

“This is... This is bad...,” the Master muttered, putting a hand over his face, futilely trying to hide the redness.

“What is?” Luxu asked. “...Are you close?”

“Uh...” The Master's lips quivered and his shoulders shook. He shifted, seeming uncomfortable for some reason. “I'm losing strength. I can't hold back anymore. I-I might have overestimated myself...”

“...What does that mean?”

He was quiet save for the sound of his teeth nervously chattering.

“Master, what does that mean?” Luxu asked, becoming exponentially more concerned by his silence.

Quivering still, his body burning up, sweating, the Master turned his head to the side and whined helplessly into the pillow. That thing he said about losing strength didn't seem to make sense to Luxu; his arms and legs were still wrapped around him with incredible strength.

Luxu moved his hands along his back, attempting to soothe him or do _something_ , but. Then he felt something unusual. He tentatively rubbed his palms over the Master's shoulder blades, curiously feeling out the spot he found strange. The Master instantly responded to his touch, gasping and shuddering hard, spasming inside around Luxu's cock. Whatever it was, he seemed to like it, even if he wouldn't admit it.

There seemed to be two protrusions on his back – one on either side. Luxu curiously scratched at them, watching the changes in the Master's expression as he did so. He wondered if it was dangerous for him to be touching something unfamiliar, but the Master seemed to be enjoying it despite himself. As Luxu grazed his nails over those spots, the Master pressed his head back into the pillow and made a lot of noise – probably loud enough for all of Daybreak Town to hear.

“Is that good, Master? Do you like that?” he asked, lightly pinching the sensitive skin between his fingers.

“Y-Y-You really don't know what you're getting yourself into, Luxu...”

“Yeah, what are these, anyway? Do you have wings or something?” he asked.

The Master stilled and collected himself enough to stare at him through the fog of lust clouding his eyes.

“...What makes you think that?”

“Master, when you say things like that, it makes me think I'm right.”

He smiled nervously. “...What if you are?”

“This is already an extraordinarily unusual situation. It would be hard to surprise me at this point, I think. Just show me.”

He let out a long, relieved sigh. “Honestly, I was afraid you'd faint on me if I spooked you. I should've known better than to underestimate you, though, huh? You're a hardy boy. Phew... Thank goodness. It was getting so hard to hold them back.”

Luxu just shook his head.

 

He said he wouldn't be surprised, but...

It was hard not to be.

 

The wings that sprouted from the Master's back were massive – one with large, pure white feathers, the other dark and leathery like the wing of a bat. The Master groaned as he stretched them. Since he was laying on his back, he couldn't fold them up behind himself, so they ended up curved in an arch above them. Just thinking about it logically, it seemed impossible for the Master to have stowed two such immense wings within his body, but the Master frequently defied logic...

Luxu was bewildered, but he decided not to think about it.

“What do you think?” the Master asked, leaning down to nuzzle Luxu's cheek, giving his ear a nibble while he was at it. “Scared?”

 

Scared?

 

“N-No. Not at all. They're magnificent.” His chest clenched. “Y-You're magnificent, Master.”

Ah...

Those must've been the magic words. The Master looked really happy. It made Luxu wonder if he'd been genuinely worried about how the appearance of his wings would make him feel. It was strange... Luxu couldn't believe that he would care that much about what he thought. But that was the impression he got.

He wrapped his arms back around him, sliding his palms up his sides and over his back to rest at the place where he'd previously been teasing the protrusions of the Master's wings. He didn't bother asking for permission – he just wanted to see what sort of faces he'd make when he touched them. And, just as he'd hoped, the Master's expression crumbled into something weak and wanton as Luxu massaged the root of his wings between his fingers.

It must have been tough, hiding them during the day. It probably put a lot of strain on them. At least, that was what Luxu imagined. Massaging them certainly seemed to make the Master feel better. He'd stopped shaking and laid as a boneless mess beneath him, occasionally twitching and letting out soft, pleased sighs, his wings fluttering above them with each little shudder. At the base of his white wing, the feathers were small and downy, soft and fragile. Luxu ruffled them gently, careful not to accidentally pluck any. On the other hand, his black wing felt strong and firm, although its texture was surprisingly more velvety than it appeared to be at a glance.

He tried to keep his thrusts even, but he quickly came to accept that it was impossible. Pressing his forehead against the Master's shoulder, he thrust wildly, just seeking pleasure, led along by an irresistible force. At the back of his mind repeated the animalistic imperative to impregnate him, to breed him, to fertilize his eggs, to mark him and claim him as his own.

Without question, the Master was the most powerful being in the world. But, at that moment, Luxu believed that his desire for him had to have been stronger than anything. He could have demolished the entire world to stop anyone who would have dared to come between them.

Luxu huffed and tried in vain to slow his hips. He couldn't stop.

“Master, I'm... really close...”

The Master grabbed him by the ass, pulling Luxu down into him. “Good,” he purred, the fingers of one hand sneakily sliding down Luxu's backside, fingertips ghosting over his tight entrance. “I'm ready. Come on and give me everything you've got.”

Luxu's mind barely registered what the Master's fingers were doing. The sensation of his fingers lightly rubbing against his entrance just felt kind of nice until two of them unexpectedly forced their way inside. The Master angled them, aiming right for his prostate, and massaged it relentlessly.

For a moment, he nearly forgot how to breathe. His cock throbbed and he was coming before he even realized. The sensation took another few seconds to catch up with him, but when it did, it was the most mind-blowing thing he'd ever experienced, consuming his entire body with raw, all-encompassing heat.

Likewise, the Master appeared to be in a similar position. It felt like he would never stop spasming inside, greedily begging for more with a bottomless hunger.

Even as his vision began to clear and his presence of mind returned to him, Luxu realized that it wasn't over. The Master's eyes glowed with a terrifying kind of ferocity. Caught in his searing stare, for a frightening moment, sweat prickling the back of his neck, Luxu had the feeling that he was about to be consumed.

The Master grabbed him by the neck and forced him off. Pushing him down onto the bed, he got up onto his knees and moved over him, straddling Luxu's hips with cum and his own slick fluids rolling down his thighs. With his fingers still tightly clenched around Luxu's throat, he impaled himself on his cock in one easy yet rough movement.

All Luxu could do was gasp hoarsely, not even able to let out a proper yell. After just coming, it felt like too much, too soon, but he wasn't in a position to stop him, barely able to lift his own hips. Despite feeling painfully overstimulated, his cock stayed hard with the instinctual desire to come inside of him again – and again and again – however many times it would take to ensure that the Master's eggs received his seed.

The Master looked like he was possessed. He seemed too exhausted to keep going, but it was like he also wasn't able to stop himself. The bed rocked as he fucked himself on him with wholly erratic movements, eyes blindly rolled back. Even his smile didn't seem quite right.

“Mas-” Luxu struggled to speak – to breathe, even. He weakly moved his hands to the Master's thighs to try to steady him. “Mast...er...”

It felt wrong. He wanted the Master to look at him.

If the Master wasn't looking at him, then he could have been anyone. Luxu wanted him to look at him, to know and feel at that moment that he was the one fucking him. He needed to feel important.

But it was more than that.

 

He was scared.

 

The Master's appearance didn't scare him. The hand around his throat didn't scare him, either.

It felt wrong, seeing him lose control.

He was the only one with a grasp on their world. If his grasp weakened, then it felt like everything would spin out of control.

 

“Master!”

 

He stopped, suddenly expressionless, and stayed there a moment, silent and still.

His wings twitched, feathers rustling, and he slowly blinked. The eyes that looked down at Luxu felt familiar again.

“Oh dear,” he muttered, grimacing as he took his hand from Luxu's throat. “Are you alright? You're alright, right?”

Luxu wasn't finished with him.

After brushing away the tears of exertion that had gathered at the corners of his eyes, he used the strength he had left to push the Master off, flipping him onto his side – still didn't want to hurt his wings. He pushed himself up onto his knees and grabbed the Master under one of his knees and lifted his leg over his shoulder. Luxu reveled in the look of bewilderment on his face.

“Y-You're still the same Luxu, right?”

“Scared?” he asked, grinning smugly.

The Master moaned. “Maybe a little~”

Luxu pressed his hips forward and was once again lost in the overwhelmingly intense sensations, his whole body charged with oversensitivity. It was extremely easy for him to move in that position. Once he got started, he couldn't stop, but that was good. He was only focused on filling him up.

He could already feel the Master tightening around him with another climax. As he delivered his final thrust, he watched the Master's face, storing a capture of his euphoric expression in his memory. Making sure to stay deep, he gave him every last bit until he was sure he had nothing left to give. The heat coursed through him, reaching a fever pitch, leaving him feeling utterly dazed when it was finally through.

Afterwards... He collapsed.

The Master rolled over, looking bright and cheerful in spite of everything.

“Well, that oughta do it. Thanks a million.”

It was just like him to gloss right over the serious parts and act like all was well that ended well. Knowing him, he was going to avoid talking about it. The way he lost control was really concerning... But Luxu couldn't blame him for not wanting to talk about it. He also kind of wanted to pretend like that hadn't happened.

He sat up, gingerly touching his neck. “So... Should I go now?”

“What, don't you want to stay?”

Luxu's heart skipped a beat, getting a little hopeful. “Y-... You'll let me stay?”

“Of course,” he said, already tucking himself under the blankets and rearranging the pillows, getting cozy. “Believe it or not, having you here with me is an important part of the process. Dream Eaters grow nice and strong with warmth and affection.”

With his heart picking up its pace, Luxu got under the covers and laid next to him. When he was that close, he could still smell the residual scent of the Master's heat. It was noticeably weaker, meaning that... It must have worked.

“What are you doing over there? C'mere.” There was probably only an inch of space between them, but apparently he wasn't satisfied with that distance. He put an arm around Luxu's waist and pulled him closer.

Luxu stammered but relented nonetheless, resting his chin on the Master's shoulder.

“S-So... What now?” he asked. “How long will it take for them to, um... be born?”

“Not long, I suspect,” he said, slipping a hand between them to caress his stomach. “I can feel things moving around in there already. From what I observed in the lab, it only takes a few hours for the fertilized egg to become fully formed, shell and all. Dunno how long it'll be before they're ready to come out of the oven, though...”

For some reason, Luxu hadn't really thought about it...

When the Master said 'eggs', he was really referring to _eggs_ – the kind with hard shells.

“I'll stay here with you,” Luxu said. He didn't have any doubt that the Master could handle the rest himself, but... “If you need my help, I'll be right here.”

With a soft smile, the Master kissed his cheek, then curled up against him, folding his wings up against his back. “Thank you, Luxu.”

And then, with that, he was out like a light.

Luxu was also exhausted, but he wanted to stay awake a little longer, wanting to enjoy the Master's cute sleeping face for as long as he could stand to keep his eyes open. He looked so content and happy... Even though he was just going to give the Dream Eaters away, he seemed pleased. Luxu understood that feeling. He couldn't put his finger on it, but the act of creation felt like something very special in their world, so he was grateful that the Master chose to share it with him.

 

His eyes eventually closed and didn't open again until some time later.

Roused by the sound of rustling sheets and frantically fluttering feathers, Luxu looked over and found the Master fighting with the sheets, his wings knocking pillows off the bed.

 

“Master...?” he mumbled sleepily.

It must have been a while. The sun was beginning to set, casting the room in a warm and cozy light. The Master, however, looked to be anything but cozy.

“Eggs,” he muttered, agitated.

It took Luxu's tired brain a second to realize what he was talking about, but, when he finally did, he shot straight up and started helping him push back the covers.

His stomach was noticeably rounder. It was no wonder he looked uncomfortable. His body couldn't keep up with the speed at which the eggs grew, stretching painfully to accommodate them. It was almost like his body hadn't been made for that type of purpose, once again making Luxu wonder what exactly the Master was supposed to be. He always preferred to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it was impossible to think that he was human.

Not that Luxu had any problem with that. He just wished he knew more about him so he could properly care for him.

The Master was kneeling on the bed, bent over with his arms around his stomach, fighting an obvious look of discomfort.

“Do you intend to deliver them that way?” Luxu asked.

“You got a better idea?”

“I mean... You're not a chicken,” he said. “Here.”

Luxu fluffed one of the pillows, then gently placed a hand on the Master's shoulder, guiding him to lay back. When the Master glared at him, staring at him from the corners of his narrowed eyes, Luxu wondered if he'd overstepped his bounds. That stare made him wonder if the Master's unusually aggressive, agitated behavior was something instinctual, too, like a defense mechanism to protect his unborn Dream Eaters.

He was the one who helped the Master make them, but something told him that that wouldn't have stopped the Master from tearing out his throat if he made him feel threatened.

Once he was laying down, the Master looked away, shielding himself with his wings.

Maybe he felt self-conscious.

“Can you feel them coming?” Luxu asked. “Do you need to push?”

The Master shook his head. “They don't need my help. It feels like they're on their way out whether I like it or not.”

Luxu sat by his side and waited, unsure of what he could do for him that wouldn't make it seem like he was overstepping again. When he saw the pained feeling in his tight features, though, he felt like he had to do something. Taking the chance to comfort him was worth the risk of potentially being mauled.

All he did was kiss him at first. That disarmed him.

Carefully, as he kissed him, he rubbed a hand over his chest with a light touch, trying to soothe him. He kept an eye cracked to watch his face and felt relieved when he saw the look on his face softening, only a small crease between his brows remaining. One of the Master's hands rose to hold the back of his neck and his wings lifted, the dark one nudging him closer, allowing him to deepen the kiss.

As nice as it was, the kiss wasn't enough to completely distract the Master from his discomfort. When it became too much, he turned his head against the pillow, breaking the kiss. He lifted his knees, pushing his heels into the bed, twisting and turning in pain while holding his stomach.

“Is it that painful?” Luxu asked.

“Hhhh... It's like a really bad tummy ache...”

Luxu squinted.

“Sorry, Master, but seeing you like this... It's just... kinda surprising?” His perfect image of his strong master was becoming hopelessly tainted, forcing him to face the fact that his image of him hadn't been all that perfect to begin with. “Is a stomach cramp the only thing that can defeat you?”

“H-Hey, don't minimize my suffering like that! It's a lot worse than just a stomach cramp!” he insisted.

“But you were the one who said-...”

He shook his head.

Seeing the distraught tears in his eyes, Luxu didn't have the heart to doubt him.

“Even so,” the Master said, grinning a euphoric grin in spite of the pain, “I'd do it again. Making them myself is an experience like nothing else. I can't even describe it... This unique type of satisfaction.”

It sounded like the pain had finally made him snap.

“Is it time?” Luxu asked, moving to situate himself between the Master's knees. He could see the muscles of his entrance flexing, preparing to release the eggs.

The Master looked down at him, one eyebrow raised. “You wanna watch?”

“You want me to watch, don't you.” Wasn't really a question.

“You don't get opportunities like this everyday, you know.”

That wasn't necessarily true. When he was with the Master, strange things happened all the time. Things were never boring, that was for sure.

There was something kind of grotesque about it, but Luxu couldn't pull his eyes away, compelled by his curiosity. For reasons he couldn't explain, it was also sort of erotic. ...Maybe he only thought so because of all the noises the Master kept making. They weren't all sounds of pleasure, but even his occasional sounds of discomfort came out sounding dirty; an uncomfortable grumble here, a weak whimper there...

Luxu gently stroked the underside of one of his thighs as the first egg began to appear. He put his other hand under him and waited. Once it was about halfway, it popped free easily and landed in his palm.

He smiled.

He couldn't help it. The smile automatically took over his face.

“Master, look.”

He held it up for him to see. The Master's face brightened, but Luxu noticed that he wasn't looking at the egg. He didn't seem to care much about that.

Trying to hide how happy his interest made him, Luxu turned away and decided to look at the egg instead. It wasn't very large – only about the size of a chicken egg. It was black with a unique pattern of white stripes. Or was it white with a pattern of black stripes? He couldn't be sure.

Holding it up against the back window's evening light, he was able to see through the white stripes. Inside, a tiny Dream Eater was curled up, dreaming its own dreams. It didn't look any different from the one he'd seen in the flask, which made Luxu wonder if his contribution had made any difference. It didn't look human in any way.

 

As far as he knew, he was human.

 

“Master...”

“Hm?”

 

What exactly was he going to ask him?

'Am I like you'?

For some reason, he felt like he wouldn't have been happy with any answer.

 

“It's really cute,” he said, holding it delicately in both palms. “Looks just like you.”

That earned a hearty laugh from the Master, but it was stopped short with a wince and a hiss. “Ah~ Don't make me laugh,” he whined. “The rest of them are coming.”

“W-wait, what should I do with this one? Doesn't it need to stay warm?” he asked, looking around in a panic.

“It'll be okay for a minute. Just- urgh... Just put it somewhere,” the Master muttered through clenched teeth, looking like he was on the verge of passing out.

“O-okay... Hang in there, Master!”

Thinking quickly, Luxu grabbed one of the abandoned pillows, fluffed it, and placed the little egg in the center. Very safe, very cozy, and very, very cute.

He resumed his previous position to help him deliver the rest of them, but, like he thought, the Master hardly needed his help. He was there to be moral support. And to watch. Throughout the whole process, he could feel the Master's eyes on him, making sure that he was watching. It was clear that he was getting something out of the attention, but he was too distracted by the pain to turn it into something sexual. Luxu figured that if the Master was anything like him, he'd be memorizing every detail to use as fantasy fuel at another time when he wasn't in an uncomfortable amount of pain. Some pain was good pain, and that didn't look like the good kind.

By the time he'd laid the last one, he looked utterly annihilated.

Luxu set the last egg next to the others and counted them.

“Thirteen.”

“A baker's dozen,” the Master said, giving a short laugh before he deflated into the pillows with an exhausted sigh.

“...Are you okay?”

“Never been better. Can't you tell?”

He looked half-dead.

Even though he could barely move, his instincts were still alive and well, it seemed. He reached out for the pillow with all of the eggs and brought it close to himself, rolling onto his side so he could curl around the bundle, protecting them with one of his wings. Seeing him looking so tired and weak made Luxu's heart ache, but he knew that it was all for the sake of the Dream Eaters and the wielders they would serve. The Master surely didn't regret it.

Luxu stayed by his side, tenderly stroking a hand over his feathered wing.

Sleepily, the Master smiled and closed his eyes.

 

Peaceful.

 

That was how Luxu would have described it – a moment so peaceful, like none he'd ever experienced.

In his heart, he had a horrible feeling that the Master was preparing for a future where such peace was rarely found. Luxu didn't want that, but it was inevitable. His heart had already accepted that as the truth, so he couldn't even bring himself to put words to his feelings.

Like a parting gift, the Master had shown him a moment of unrealistic happiness.

That sort of kindness tasted bittersweet. Luxu didn't know whether it was right to thank him or to resent him for it.

 

It was pointless to wonder. His heart was already overflowing with gratitude.

 

“Master, would you let me be with you forever?”

“Huh? Who would wanna spend forever with a guy like me?”

“Me. I would.”

For a moment, the Master only looked at him, no discernible emotion in his gaze. He was thinking about something, looking somewhere Luxu couldn't see.

Then he smiled and it was as if that moment of clairvoyant silence hadn't existed.

“Course you would. I am pretty great, aren't I?”

“Yeah. You are.”


End file.
